SGF and Senate confraternity

The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is proving to be the lord of the manor. It seems to have become a lord unto itself. This Nigerian Senate, no doubt, is no respecter of the Nigerian people and, of course, President Muhammadu Buhari. To discerning minds, the Senate has become a confraternity that is working against the interest of the people of Nigeria.

This is the conclusion that a reasonable man will arrive at. Take the case of Ibrahim Magu, the twice rejected Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Magu’s name was submitted to the Senate by the President for confirmation as required by the Constitution. The Senate, acting on a report from the Department of State Security (DSS), rejected Magu’s nomination, citing adverse security report as its reason.

The President, having thoroughly investigated the allegations against Magu, re-submitted his name for confirmation as EFCC Chairman. The Senate, the second time, went ahead and rejected the nomination, regardless of Mr. President’s letter to them, absolving Magu of any wrong doing. Rather, the Senate told Nigerians that the DSS had forwarded another report to it on the March 12, confirming to the Senate that Magu is not fit and proper to be EFCC Chairman. It is noteworthy that the DSS is an agency of government under the Executive.

The second case is that of Hameed Ali, a political appointee and the Comptroller-General of the Customs Service. Ali, an unblemished, Spartan, diligent and incorruptible army officer was asked by the Senate to come and explain a policy that seems not clear to the public. He was, however, directed by the Senate to appear in uniform. Today, the Senate seems to be more interested in seeing Ali in uniform than in the explanation he has to give on the seemingly unclear policy of arresting car owners who did not pay the correct customs duty on their vehicles. As expected of a Senate that is more interested in the form and NOT the substance, Ali was ignominiously walked out of the hallowed chambers of the Senate simply because he did not appear in uniform.

However, legal luminaries and respected legal practitioners have opined that the Comptroller-General of Customs does not need to appear in uniform. According to them, there is no law in the statute book demanding that wearing uniform by the Comptroller-General of Customs, a political appointee and not a serving staff, is a condition precedent to appearing before the Senate.

Apart from this, the Nigerian Senate is more concerned about the uniform and NOT the performance of this honest gentleman who, within a short time, has sanitised the Customs Service by reducing corruption, ineptitude and crass opportunism.

Let us take the third case. I mean the case of David Babachir Lawal, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF). In a manner suggesting witch-hunt and mischief, the Senate levelled serious allegations against the person and the office of the SGF. It went further to ask the SGF to resign.

The Senate, it must be noted, did not invite Lawal to come over and state his own side of the story simply because the Senate had made up its mind on what to do. Clearly, the Senate did not give the SGF a fair hearing. After convicting the SGF, the Senate passed a resolution, directing the President to sack the SGF.

President Buhari, a consummate democrat with respect for the rule of law and due process, mandated the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice to investigate the allegations and report back to him. The Attorney-General took his time and painstakingly did a thorough investigation and returned a verdict of not guilty. The President has no reason to doubt the Attorney-General. He, therefore, considered the case closed. The Senate, however, will have none of that. The Senate is now coming full circle. It is coming through the back door to reopen the case simply because they either do not like the face of the SGF or because they have a personal score to settle with him.

It must be noted that the Senate has not accused the SGF of non-performance. It also did not give the SGF a fair hearing because the Senate never asked the SGF to come forward to explain his perceived role in the alleged contract scam. Rather, the Senate went on a vendetta journey, thinking the opportunity has presented itself for them to nail the man whose closeness to Mr. President they do not like.

In all these three cases, it is clear to discerning minds that the Senate is not interested in making laws that will impact positively on the lives of the people of Nigeria; rather, they are more interested in rubbishing President Buhari. If the truth must be told, the Senate does not seem to like the change mantra of this administration. Rather, the Senate may be more interested in the business -as-usual style of the previous administration.

Let me say it the umpteenth time, that this reopening of the case of the SGF is a very clear case of vendetta, mischief and opposition to the choice of Lawal as SGF. The Senate is indirectly fighting President Buhari. More than this, the Senate is not interested in the welfare and well-being of Nigerians; rather, it is only interested in settling scores and fighting perceived enemies.

What all these suggest in totality is that the Senate has turned itself into the prosecutor, the judge and a confraternity that is out to frustrate President Buhari.

What is left for these gentlemen to do is to, perhaps, approach Courts of competent jurisdictions to save them from the jaws of the Senate confraternity.

Luckily, the Judiciary is also being sanitised and the new Chief Justice of Nigeria has promised that the Courts will dispense justice without fear or favour, ill-will or affection. There is every reason to believe Justice Onnoghen, a man of impeccable character and a judicial officer of immeasurable experience.

Meanwhile, the SGF should take solace in the fact that he has won in the court of public opinion. This is because Nigerians have seen the truth; and the truth has set him free. Magu and Ali will also be vindicated in the fullness of time.